PROMPT: Can you do a Niam prompt were Niall and Liam drift apart but Liam doesnt realise because he’s been coming home stupid and drunk and waking up like nothing happened but Nialls been getting depressed/sad because he's mad in love with Liam and wishes he could tell him and Niall thinks it's time fo move out Liams flat.
Earlier today Niall had gone back to his and Liam’s apartment, complaining of feeling ill. He had a headache, stomache and tempertaure so none of the other boys had complained. Liam had atcually offered to come home and take care of him but Niall refused saying he would be ok by myself. It was atcually true, he would be ok but he just needed some space from Liam. Niall was secretly in love with Liam and it was killing him. Even though Liam would never love Niall, or so Niall believed, he was going to tell Liam how he felt when the time was right. But for now Niall settled down on the sofa, wrapped up in his quilt, sipping a cup of hot tea while watching something on T.V. It didn’t take long for Niall to drift off into a deep sleep. A couple of hours later there was the sound of two voices, one unmistakably Liam and Niall thought the other belonged to Harry although wasn’t sure, along with a loud pounding knock on the front door. Pulling himself up from his comfy sofa, Niall groggily made his way to the door, not before stopping to checking the time. After squinting through his half asleep eyes Niall made out the time, 02:07. He opened the door and the sight infront of him made him gasp out loud. ‘Lii? Are you drunk? Niall asked, not sure although he thought he already knew the answer. ‘Yep! I don’t know why I’ve never done this before! Its fun!.’ Liam said something along the lines of that, Niall couldn’t quite interpret through his slurred drunken voice. So he looked expectantly as Harry who jyst shrugged, turned around and left. ‘Li. Shhh…. Its too early to be this loud.’ Niall said putting his arm around Liam and physically dragging him into the bathroom, making him wash, brush his teeth and put his pajamas on and herding him towards Niall room. ‘Hey this doesn’t look like my room. Did you redecorate Niall? Without telling me?’ Niall chuckled lightly, even that hurting his head and making the headache worse. ‘Shhh… No i didn’t redecorate silly, it’s my room. Your way too drunk to sleep by yourself. What if your sick?’ ‘Oh…’ Liam replied while getting into ed beside Niall, cuddling up to him and whispered into his chest, ‘Your really pretty Niall, I love you!’ It brought tears to Niall’s eyes even though he knew Liam was just saying it because he was drunk. But it didn’t stop Niall from kissing the top of his head and whispering a heartfelt, ‘I love you too Li, more than you’ll ever know.’ before falling asleep once again. Niall awoke early morning to an empty bed and movement coming from the bathroom. ‘Li? You in there’ ‘Mmm… Not so loud Niall.’ Niall chuckled and moved into the bathroom to see Liam knelt infront of the toilet. Niall knelt beside him and rubbed his back in a comforting manner while Liam was sick in the toilet. When he was finished Niall helped him up and back into bed. Liam slept most of the morning an afternoon but when he woke up again he told Niall he was going out tonight and left. Niall didn’t see Liam again until the next morning although he did hear Liam coming in again around 3 am. And then he didn’t wake up until 7pm. This seemed to become a regular routine for Liam, staying out getting drunk, sleeping through the day and repeating it all over again. No matter who or what was suggested between the boys Liam would always refuse and go out late into the night again. Some days it was different though, some days Liam would leave by himself and come home with a random man and on a few occasions a woman. It was these nights that hurt Niall the most. He would wake up and hear them going at it in the next room. It was slowly breaking his heart. Not only that though, Niall and Liam were rapidly drifting apart. The only free time they had away from the band Liam spent drinking and Niall spent it crying himself to sleep. He couldn't handle it anymore, the thoughts in his were starting to scare him. They were also based upon violence whether it was to himself or to Liam. Niall began to stop eating, stop smiling and stopped being happy. He was becoming someone he wasn't. And it was because he loved Liam. His bubbly persona was gone and the other boys were starting to notice. Every one but Liam. When ever Liam decided to be in Niall's company, which was vwry rarely now a days, he would act like nothing was wrong. Or maybe Liam didn't even notice how depressed and upset Niall was getting but at least he had the other boys to lean on. And that was what was getting Niall through this hard time. The band and the boys. But one thing Niall knew was that he couldn't stay there any longer or he would end up doing something he would most definatley regret. But it was one perticular night that Liam pushed the boundries. It was the night Liam had brought home a girl he met that night, but he was being especially loud and uncaring towards Niall. The next day however Niall, decided it was time to do something. He had talked to Louis and Harry about the situation and they agreed that Niall could stay at theirs for as long as he needed, after all they only take up one room now. Niall it was going to be hard to leave Liam but he also knew he couldn’t stay here anymore, so the next morning Niall knew he had to break the news to Liam. Well as soon as Liam decided to wake up. ‘Liam, we need to talk.’ ‘Ok? What’s up Niall?’ Liam asked. ‘Well recently I’ve noticed we’ve been drifting apart. Ever since you’ve been drinking again. Ever since that day, I’ve realised you’ve changed. You have no time anymore to hang and i’ve spoken to Lou and Haz and i’m going to stay at there’s for a bit. If you want me to come back at all Li, you need to change. But while your like this I can’t be around you.’ By this point Niall was crying. Tears were streaming down his face, ‘Niall. Don’t go please. I need you to know something. I’m only getting drunk to ease the pain.’ ‘The pain?’ ‘Yeah the pain from seeing you everyday but not being able to touch you, to kiss you or to be with you. Because Niall, I love you. I’ll stop drinking altogether but just don’t leave because I want you Niall, I need you.’ ‘Li… Oh Li, why didn’t you say earlier? I love you too.’ Liam jumped up and hugged Niall, spinning him around in circles, before planting a soft and passionate kiss to Niall’s lips and whispered against them, ‘I love you Niall, dont ever leave me.’ ‘I promise Li.’ And Niall kept his promise. For 3 years now Liam and Niall have been together, sure they had fights but who didnt? The important thing was that they made up after each one. Liam changed pretty quickly after they got together and hasnt touched alcohol since that day. Because he loved Niall, and because of that he planned to propose to Niall today. On their 3rd year anniversary, and he planned on Niall saying yes, because he wanted to spend the rest of his life, with Niall. Because Liam loves Niall and Niall loves Liam. And they know this now because they didn’t stop loving each other and they forever will.
(Hope this is ok! I wanted to try writing from a different pov but I dont know how well it went. Please read and review! And dont forget to send in any prompts!!!!)
Together We Can Overcome Anything - A Niam Oneshot
‘Liiii…’ I knew what was comin next. Niall only uses that voice when he wants to get something out of me. And 99% of the time it’s food, more specifically Nando’s. It must have been almost 2 hours since he last ate and not through choice. It was only because we had lots of interviews and photos to be taken so there wasn’t time for food at all! But i suppose for Niall 2 hours is quite a long time, even if it’s not for normal people!
‘Can we go get some Nando’s please?’ There we go. Nando’s… Again…
‘Of course as long as the boys are alright with it.’
‘Atcually I kinda wanted to go just us. You know alone.’ He smiled worriedly up at me.
‘Oh then ok!’ I was confused. Whenever we went to Nando’s alone it was normally because it was Niall’s turn to choose our date location, otherwise it was always with the boys. And it certainly wasn’t a date night. They were always Tuesday’s and Sunday’s not Thursday’s. It didn’t take long for us to arrive at the nearest Nando’s, taking all the shortcuts due to Niall memorising the routes to every single one! He also knew the menu off by heart and I was starting to learn it too. It seemed that Niall had called ahead to book it (special privelidges due to our customer loyalty) because they took us too my favourite seat in the booth at the back of the restruant. A few moments later a waiter arrived at our table carrying huge plates of medium flavoured chicken, peri-peri salted chips and not to forget the best thing. Halloumi cheese! It was the meal we shared the first time we came to Nando’s. But that just made this evening more confusing. Why go to Nando’s by ourselves? Prebook the table? And preorder the same meal we ha on our first date? Something was strange. Instead of worrying I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed spending time with my loving boyfriend.
The way Niall eats, it didnt take long for us to have finished our meal and as soon as it was cleared away, Niall stood up and came to my side, grabbed both of my hands before crouching to his knees. OMG! Was he going to propose?!?
‘Liam, for 7 years we’ve been bandmates,for 7 years we’ve been best friends and for 7 years we’ve lovers. And I dont want any of that to change ever. I want you to stay with me forever, I want you to never leave me, I want you to love me like I love you, so much so that words cannot describe it. I want to be able to wake up each and everyday with you by ny side. Now I know im far from perfect but last of all I want you to never give up on me and on us. There will be ups and downs through out but together forever we can get through absolutley anything. And thats exactly what I want, together forever. I know this is not exactly the ideal place to do this but here is special to us for so many reasons and thats why I’m here looking like an idiot in the middle of Nando’s to ask you one question. Liam, Will you marry me.’
I could feel tear start to well up in my eyes. I was absolutley speechless so i nodded and whisperes over and over again
‘Yes!’ Niall quickly slipped the simple gold band over my ring finger and pulled me into the tightest yet most passionate hug ever. Thinking back over his words, I realised he right especially about one thing. Together we can overcome everything. Absolutley anything.
NIALL'S POV Finally we had a day off, the first in over a month and i had plans for today. Plans to stay lying in bed for the whole day with my beautiful boyfriend, Liam, watching all of the Toy Story movies since he loves them and thats why i love them. But obviously i wasnt the only one who has plans for today or at least judging by the fact the bed is going up and down as someone jumps on it. I opened one eye at a time and slowly lifted my head until i saw Tomlinson jumping on the bed smirking at us. 'come on guyssss you promised we'd go to the beach today' he whined. I looked over at Li who looked as tired as i felt, and believe me i felt TIRED! Glancing over at the clock i saw it read 4:39, well that explained why i felt so tired. I cant believe he remember that promise, over 2 months ago we told him we would go to the beach on our next day off we all wernt doing something on. 'ok! Ok! Just stop jumping on the bed and give us 10 minutes. Oh and breakfast in bed! I'm starving'. Next to me i heard Liam chuckle as he reached over and connected our lips together, 'thats my niall, always hungry!'. Slowly we both got out of bed and started to change into our beach clothes but i couldnt help but stop and stare at Liam, he looked so nice without a shirt. Mental note to self: tell Liam he looks better with no shirt. LIAM'S POV It was far too early to get up. I mean who in their right mind would want to go to the beach at 4:30?? Oh thats right Louis Tomlinson and most likely Harry since their practically joined at the hip since they started dating 6 months ago. Anyway it was easier just to agree with Lou after all he really knows how to hold a grudge. Pulling on my shirt i felt Nialls eyes upon me, slowly i turned around and met them before pulling him by his hand to the car. Everyone was already there waiting for us, Louis driving, Harry in the passenger seat with Zayn already asleep behind. We settled into our seats and within minutes of setting off Niall was already asleep leaning on my shoulder. It was an hours drive to the beach and by the time we got there the sun was just beginning to rise and we were the only ones on the beach. Pulling out a towel each Niall and i settled into each others arms lazily kissing each other every now and again until Zayn saw the theme park on the pier working but Harry didnt want to go since last time he was on a rollercoaster it broke down when they were upside down and so Louis didnt want to either. Niall was fast asleep again but i didnt have the heart to wake him but as Louis strolled back down the beach with 5 ice creams balanced dangerously he awoke yelling 'FOOD!' He grabbed an ice cream of Louis and started licking it like he hadnt eaten for days. Not long i heard a groan comin from him. Turning around i saw his ice cream lying in the sand and a frown upon his face. Kissing him quickly i handed him my ice cream since it was too early for ice cream anyway seeing his face light up and say' Thanks Li, your the best' was worth missing out on ice cream. Infact today turned out to be the best day out he'd had for a long time
It began with the listless feelings brought on by a Sunday afternoon.
This was supposed to be like 500 words and it ended up being 6,000+ so enjoy!
Liam hummed quietly to himself playing with Niall’s newly bleached hair as he giggled silently. The blonde boy would occasionally look over, sending Liam a wink as he read his book. He was captivated, a few chapters into a murder mystery that a fan had given to him at a signing the week prior.
It felt nice, good to finally be able to just sit back and relax. Neither of them wanted to move, sick of being on their feet after a long tour in North America. Niall’s calloused fingers wrapped around Liam’s, squeezing them lightly as Liam’s attention drifted from him. The brown haired boy looked back over, a smile wiping across his features as he stared at the boy who sat next to him.
Nialls phone went off, a groan escaping each of the boys as they stared at the phone that lay on the coffee table. It lit up and buzzed loudly, shaking fiercely next to their tea and half eaten muffins.
“Are you going to get that?” Liam grumbled, his voice still hoarse from sleep. Niall just shook his head, glaring at the phone.
“Why not?” Liam whined, attempting to push Niall’s legs off of him. Niall fought against him, refusing to move his legs.
“No phone rule on lazy Sunday mornings.” Niall groaned, throwing his head back.
“Yes, that’s why its on and buzzing in front of us.” Liam sniggered, shoving him slightly.
Niall finally gave up, reaching over and grabbing the phone. He hit a button and brought it up to his ear. A small frown flashing across his face as he saw who was calling.
Liam leaned over, trying to see whom it was on the other end but that proved to be unsuccessful. His nerves got to him as he watched Niall’s face, frustrated that he could only hear half the conversation.
“Hello?” Niall asked, his brow furrowing.
“Yeah, it’s Niall.” He huffed, narrowing his eyes.
“Right now?” He grumbled, running a hand over his face. Liam’s eyebrow hitched, unsure what was going on.
“We’ll be right there.” Niall huffed, throwing his phone on the ground beside him. He turned towards Liam, the frown evident on his lips as he hesitated for the right words.
“The new agency wants to talk to us.” Niall sighed, throwing his head back and letting out a low groan.
“Now? We just got back from tour.” Liam whined, jutting out his bottom lip.
“I guess so.”
The two got up, not even bothering to throw away their trash as they slumped off to their room, throwing on some suitable clothes before heading to the door. Paul was already waiting outside their flat, leaning up against the black car waiting for them. His eyes were focused on his phone as the boys walked over to him.
They piled into the car, surprised when Paul slid into the front seat and started the car.
“Aren’t we waiting for the other boys?” Liam asked.
“No.” Paul grumbled, throwing the car into reverse. “Just you two.”
----
The silence in the room was deafening, the two boys gaping at the large men that sat in front of them.
“I- I’m afraid I d-don’t understand.” Liam spoke, his voice quivering as he stumbled over the words.
“Let’s just call it a vacation.” The blonde one sneered, narrowing his eyes at the pair.
“You can’t do that!” Niall burst, tears filling his eyes.
“I’m afraid we can.” The dark haired one bitterly laughed, “And it will be our first order of business as your management.”
“But we changed companies to get away from this stuff!” Niall gasped, cowering away from the large men.
“Well you were mistaken.” He responded, smacking the documents on the table.
“You signed here.” The blonde one jumped in, pointing to their signatures on the page. “That there is the appearance clause. It states that we will work in our power to keep the boy band image perfect. And two gay members would ruin that image.”
“So as we said earlier, we’re separating you.” The darker haired guy spoke again, their voices weaving through the sentences like they were the same person. “You both will be going off to different locations.”
“Where?” Niall whispered, tears still in his eyes as he looked down at the table.
“If we tell you that we’d have to kill you.” The blonde one spoke, his voice low and grisly.
At that, Niall burst into tears, burying his head in Liam’s chest. Liam slowly rubbed his back, pulling him close. He was in shock, still trying to register what they had just told him.
“God, can’t the kid take a joke.” One of the guys grumbled as they left the room. Liam wasn’t sure who said it but he knew one thing. He despised both of those guys.
They sat in silence for god knows how long, grasping onto each other for dear life. They were unsure, unaware of when they had to part. So they stayed latched onto each other until someone interrupted them.
Paul walked into the door, a frown appearing on his face as he saw the two boys huddled in the corner. Their eyes were blood shot and their cheeks were tear stained. He silently walked over to them, placing a strong hand on Liam’s shoulder. The boy looked up, suddenly appearing younger than he was. His vulnerability showing as he protectively gripped onto Niall.
The blonde boys head poked out from being nuzzled into Liam’s shirt. His breaths were short and hasty as he fought to control his breathing. His chest rose and fell quickly as he tried to sniff back the tears that fought to fall. A grimace crossed Paul’s face as they looked at them, tears suddenly pooling in his own eyes.
“I’m sorry, boys.” He spoke hesitantly, unsure of what to say. He didn’t want to do it, but he had to. He was just following orders, like he had for years. But there was something different about these boys. Before them he had never questioned authority, before them he never loathed his job. But he had grown so attached, caring so much about these five lads that were practically thrown onto him. They were his children now. When they cried, he cried. When they laughed, he laughed. He felt what they felt.
“It’s time to go pack.” He barely whispered, not able to meet the boys’ gaze. They followed silently behind him. He didn’t have to turn around to know that they were wrapped in each other’s embrace, holding onto each other as much as they could while still being able to walk.
The car ride home was silent, completely different than the ride there. The sky was bright and blue, not a cloud in sight. But to Liam, it was raining. It was like the skies were falling, thunder clapping in the sky and lightning shooting down. If he closed his eyes he could see it, the rain beating down on the ground. But when he opened his eyes all he saw was sun, and it didn’t fit at all.
The apartment looked strange, their stuff hastily thrown on the coffee table from their rush to get to the office this morning. It all looked so out of place, like someone else had lived there. Niall walked to his room, his feet taking him there as his eyes were left lifeless.
“Liam.” Paul sighed as the older boy started to walk off. He stopped in his tracks, slowly turning towards Paul as he remained in the living room.
“They told me to make you pack and take you straight there.” Paul sighed, rubbing his hands over his eyes. “But fuck them. Have some time for goodbye. I’ll just tell them it took you longer than expected to pack.”
Liam just nodded in response, trying to force a smile but only getting one corner of his mouth to twitch. He pursed his eyes shut, turning and heading towards Nialls room. The door was cracked open, the blonde boy not even bothering to shut it. Liam could see before he even walked in that Niall was lying face down on the bed, his body shaking with sobs.
He pushed the door open, causing Niall to jump at the sound of it creaking. He steadied his breath as he saw it was only Liam standing there. Both boys were frozen in place, neither knowing what to do. No words could describe either of their feelings. So no words were said, they just held each other, like it was all they had left.
----
Liam waited at the flat, he was completely alone. Paul had taken Niall first, not allowing Liam to come along. His eyes were still wet and his breath was still uneven. He was sent into another fit of tears at the mere thought of the blonde boy. It was like the whole world was crushing down on them and no one would stop it.
They were being separated, something that had never happened before. Neither of the boys had gone more than a week without seeing each other since the day they met.
Liam felt like he was going to be sick, not even hearing the front door when it pushed open and Paul stood on the other side. His cheeks were wet and his hands were balled into fists. He quickly grabbed Liam’s bags, ushering the boy out of the flat and down the stairs.
The car ride was silent, except for the sound of Liam quietly sobbing in the back. Paul had offered him the front seat, only for the boy to grunt and climb into the back.
The small cottage looked old and worn as they pulled into the driveway. The second story looked slanted, shifted slightly over the first floor. It was foreign, almost like a figment of the brown haired boys imagination. He stepped out of the van, his feet hitting the pebble covered ground with a soft thud.
He hardly noticed Paul walk in front of him, carrying all his things. He stared up at the small building in front of him and wiped his eyes. This was his new home, even if just for a little while.
Paul held the door open for him, watching the boy as he walked in. He was like a zombie, like someone had come and taken all the life out of him.
“Liam.” Paul sighed as they waited at the front desk. “I’m not supposed to do this and I would lose my job if they knew, but here you go.”
And with that, he slid a piece of paper in Liam’s hand. He didn’t look at it right away, but later he would unfold it and find an address. And suddenly something welled up in his stomach; hope.
-----
Dear Niall,
God. I haven’t even been at this place for more than 15 minutes and I already hate it. Want to know why? Well, it’s because you aren’t here. Things just aren’t the same. I have a queen sized bed, but what’s the point of a big bed if you aren’t going to be here to sleep next to me.
It seems like it’s been years since I’ve seen you when it really was only a few hours ago. I miss you, like crazy. I never thought this day would come that we’d be separated. I just wish we had more notice. I wish we could have prepared ourselves.
But maybe it was better this way. I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I knew this day was coming.
Anyways, Paul gave me your address before he left me here. I’ll have to thank him. I owe him so much. Don’t let me forget that when we get out of this place.
I don’t want to stop writing but I’ve run out of things to say that won’t make me cry. So until next time?
Love you, more than anything,
Liam.
He sealed the envelope, letting it fall into the dark post box. He silently prayed that it would get there quickly and a response would come as soon as possible. He looked up from where he stood, his eyes drifting over entrance to the small village that stood beside his cottage.
It was all so surreal, the cobblestones clacked beneath his feet as he walked deeper and deeper into the small village. It was all so unfamiliar, so foreign. He felt like a lost puppy, wandering blindly through streets filled with small shops.
Every way he turned he was met with the same sign; “Not open on Sundays.” He quickly gave up, heading back to the crooked cottage in the distance.
----
He was in the woods. In the middle of the woods. Paul had left him there three days ago to go back and take Liam to his destination. The log resort rested in the deepest point of the woods, snow covering the tops of the windows. He had made his way to his room, pushing the door open and sighing heavily. This was his new home, for now at least.
The blankets were fuzzy and warm as he pulled them up to his chin. He hadn’t left the bed, not able to bring himself to explore the resort. It all felt so silly. He could see them from his room. He could see the people outside laughing and hugging and having a fun time. They were on vacation. He was in hell.
A knock sounded on the door, causing him to jump slightly. No one ever knocked. No one ever dared to come to his room and talk to him. It was word around the resort, steer clear of Niall Horan.
He pulled himself from the bed, slipping his feet into the night shoes that lie by his bed. He creaked the door open a crack to see a girl standing there. She was not much older than him. Her smile was welcoming and her eyes didn’t show any sign of fear.
She instantly shoved her hand out, a letter grasped in her palm. “Guests usually pick up their mail at the front desk after we call, but you didn’t answer the phone and I figured you wouldn’t come down, so here.” She explained, holding the letter out for him.
He just nodded in return, afraid to speak. His voice was probably rough and hoarse, not a sound coming from it for the past few days. His eyes thanked her as she turned away, jogging back down the stairs.
He wanted to crumple up the paper in his hand, throw it out the window and watch it disappear into the snow. But something on the envelope caught his eye. The return address stuck out like a sore thumb. Liam Payne. It read, causing the blonde boys breath to get caught in his throat.
He quickly ran over to the bed, tearing the thin envelope and pulling the letter out. His eyes skimmed the words, not even daring to breathe as he took in the scrawled hand writing. His hands trembled, the piece of paper shaking slightly in his hands as he read the words over and over again.
Love you more than anything. He wrote, causing the blonde boy to break into tears. He pushed himself off the bed, running to the desk that lie in the corner. He had scoffed at it when he first arrived, wondering why anyone would need a desk while they were on vacation. He tugged one of the drawers open, finding a pad of paper and a pen tucked away beneath a slew of brochures.
Dear Liam,
I didn’t know. I didn’t know that you’d be in contact with me. I didn’t know you had any clue where I was.
I’m still in shock. This all seems so surreal. I have to admit that I’ve been moping. You would probably smack me upside the head and tell me I was being silly. But I can’t help and think that you are moping too.
I hope you aren’t at a ski lodge like I am. God, it’s terrible here. It’s so cold and my heater likes to blow cold air. The only place I find comfort is under the thick blankets they provided me with. I’d much rather be in your arms though.
Paul’s a saint. Good ole Irish bloke. We’ll have to take him out for a pint when we’re reunited again.
How long now? 23 days? I’m making a count down. I’m going to hang it above my bed, so I can fall asleep every night knowing there is one less day until I see you again.
I love you, I really do.
Niall J
He held the paper in front of him, his lips pressed into a thin line as his eyes narrowed. It seemed wrong, he wanted to go back and start over. He wanted to tear off a new sheet and try again. But he didn’t, he kept it how it was. Because he knew that Liam would like it better that way.
----
He sat quietly in the corner of the bakery, munching on a hot scone and sipping on a cup of tea as he wrote away. His hand danced across the page, spilling all his feelings. It hadn’t been more than an hour since he had gotten Niall’s letter. He couldn’t wait. He had to write back right away.
Niall,
Nope. No snowy resort for me. I’m staying in this little cottage. There are 3 rooms and the people who own it are probably some of the nicest folk I’ve ever met. It’s right outside of this little village. I’ve done some exploring.
Right now I’m sitting in a tiny bakery. It smells like cupcakes and those brownies that Harry would always make. The people here are kind and come and refill my tea when they see that it’s getting low.
Maybe I can take you here once this stupid thing is over. As long as it doesn’t bring back any bad memories.
I’m trying to enjoy my stay here, I really am. I don’t want to mope for a whole month. But it’s hard; it’s so difficult to enjoy myself when you are so far away. I miss you so much.
I miss the other boys too. God, I hope they’re okay.
Why would they do this to us? I don’t understand it.
19 more days until I see you. 19 days too long. I don’t know what they’re trying to achieve with this ‘vacation’ but I know that when I get home I’ll love you more than I ever did before. What do they say? Distance makes the heart grow fonder? <3
Love you,
Li
His fingers drifted across the paper, folding it delicately. He slipped it into the cream colored envelope and scrawled Niall’s address across it.
He couldn’t help but sit there and just stare at the letter. It was weird. It was their only way of communicating. Either him or Niall could just stop writing back and that would be that. They both had the power to completely cut the other off. And that terrified him.
So even as he left the small bakery, waving happily at the woman behind the counter, he gripped on to that letter. He held it close against his chest as he walked the streets. It was his lifeline. It was his escape.
----
Liam’s last letter didn’t arrive for a whole ten days and it terrified Niall. A snowstorm slowed it down, delaying its arrival. He still checked, running down to the front desk every day to check for mail. Mia would always shake her head and say no, her eyes still as comforting as the first day they met.
She had become protective of the Irish boy, dispelling any rumors that spread over the resort. She couldn’t help but yell at people who called him crazy or weird. They didn’t understand; he was misunderstood.
It didn’t take long for him to open up to her, for him to tell her the full story. She had taken him to the back room, putting on a kettle and slipping into the seat next to him.
“So who are these letters from? Someone special?” She smiled, her eyes filled with hope. She loved a hopeless love story, just like any girl does. Forbidden love, it was all the rave.
“Yeah.” He had chuckled, the mere thought of Liam lighting up his features.
“He’s very lucky to have someone who loves him as much as you do.” She sighed, leaning her cheek into her palm and carefully watching the blonde boy.
“Nah.” Niall shrugged, “I’m the lucky one.”
The day that the letter arrived, Niall didn’t even have enough time to run downstairs before Mia was at his door. The look on her face made it clear that the envelope clutched in her hand was from Liam.
A smile burst onto his face as he tore the letter open. He quickly read through it, his eyes darting back to the top and starting again. He read it probably twenty times before he looked up and noticed that Mia had slipped away. His eyes were watery and his heart felt heavy. At this point it was only nine days until he saw Liam. One day less than what he had to wait for this letter.
He quickly pulled out a seat at the desk and rifled through the drawers, desperately trying to find a pen and paper.
He stared at the empty page for a few moments. Unsure of what to say.
My dearest darling Liam,
Wow. It took ten days for me to get this letter. Ten days too long. There was a crazy snowstorm up here and we weren’t getting any mail at all. Not until today!
I hope you don’t think I forgot about you. This will probably come almost two weeks after you sent your last letter.
Only nine days left now. NINE! That’s low enough that I don’t need my fingers AND my toes to count it anymore. But when this gets to you it will be less than nine. And that is super super exciting.
A little village, you say? Maybe I’d like to see it, get to know where you’ve spent your last month. Maybe we can stop over here too. I’ve grown fond of this stupid resort that I once hated.
There is a girl who works at the front desk named Mia. She is incredible. Like any other place, people talk here. They gossip and chat and make up stupid rumors. She won’t admit it, but Mia will cuss someone out if she hears them talking smack about me.
I think I might keep in touch with her once we leave. Maybe we can invite her down to spend the day in the city with us. She’s never left this town. Not one day in her life. She was raised here and she just kind of stayed here. I couldn’t imagine. Just think, me never leaving Mullingar or you never leaving Wolver Hampton.
It’s a strange thought.
Anyways, I miss the boys too. So much. I wonder how Zayn’s doing. I’m worried about him. Hopefully Harry and Louis are taking care of him.
I love you more than the moon!
Your Niall.
Mia had the stamp all ready to go when Niall ran down the stairs and met her at the front desk. “I knew you’d be down soon with a letter.” She giggled, holding the stamp out for him as he sealed the envelope. He dropped it into the small mailbox in the lobby and sighed, and the waiting game began again.
----
Sometimes he would sit in the bakery and just reread the letters that Niall had already sent him. His fingers would graze over the indented page. If he closed his eyes he could hear Niall’s voice, see his smiling face.
It worried him terribly, worried him more than he would ever admit. Niall hadn’t responded in almost two weeks. His stomach would lurch and stumble every time the thought crossed him mind. Something terrible could have happened.
It was eleven days after he sent his last letter that someone approached him in the bakery. He had been there every day, munching on a hot scone and sipping on a cup of black tea as he stared at the letters, waiting.
Her name was Charlotte and she had a brilliant smile. She was at the bakery every morning, passing out warm pastries and filling cups of tea. She pulled out the chair across from Liam, the wood creaking against the floor as she pulled it out.
“Hey there stranger.” She chuckled, plopping down in front of him.
“Hi.” He smiled back, silently tucking away the letters that he had been reading.
“You’re not from around here, but you’ve been here every day.” Charlotte spoke, her eyes narrowing slightly as she watched the brown haired boy.
“That’s correct.” He laughed in return.
“People in this town don’t like mystery.” She whispered, her eyes skimming the bakery. Everyone seemed to be looking at them. But Liam was used to it, he was used to people watching him. It was like that back home and it wasn’t any different here.
“Liam.” He sighed, sticking his hand out. “And I’m here on extended holiday.”
“Charlotte.” She returned, shaking his hand firmly. “And I’m here because my mother owns this bakery and I have no choice.”
A small laugh escaped his lips as he watched her. “I don’t have a choice either.” He shrugged, taking a sip of the hot tea that sat in front of him.
“Who are the letters from?” She asked suddenly, the question catching him off guard. Had she really noticed?
“No one.” Liam grumbled in return, a blush appearing on his cheeks.
“I don’t believe you.” Charlotte stated, leaning back in her seat and raising an eyebrow. “I see the way your face lights up when you read them. So, who is she?”
Liam hesitated, unsure if trusting her would be a good idea or not. “She is not a she. She is a he.” He spoke, clenching his eyes shut.
A sigh escaped her lips, causing Liam to groan and drop his head into his hands. “Why is there anything wrong with that?” She replied and he could tell by the tone in her voice that she had shrugged, eyeing the boy cautiously.
“Nothing.”
“Damn right.” She chuckled, pushing her chair back and standing up.
“He hasn’t written back in almost two weeks.” Liam sighed, watching her turn and leave. She stopped in her tracks, spinning back around to look at him.
“Where is he?”
“Somewhere in the mountains.” He replied, a frown appearing on his face.
“Oh! Don’t worry then!” She cheered, her face lighting up. “They had a terrible snow storm but it’s over now. I bet it will be arriving any day now.”
And she was right, because the next day there was a letter waiting for him at the front desk. He instantly tore it open, not even bothering to run up and hide in the confines of his room to read it.
They had both found an ally in these foreign towns, someone to depend on when they didn’t have each other.
He quickly ran off to the bakery, frantically waving the letter at Charlotte as she helped a few customers. A smile appeared on her face as she threw him a thumbs up, grabbing a stone and cup of tea to bring over to him.
His signature rang in Liam’s mind, the words branded on the back of his eyelids. Your Niall. He liked that.
“I told you it would come soon.” She chuckled, placing the cup and plate on the table in front of him. He kind of expected her to take a seat, to chat for a few minutes. But she just sauntered off, leaving him alone with his letter.
Niall!
I did think you forgot about me. I was so worried! I checked the post every single day and there was nothing there.
There was a girl at the bakery that told me that there were storms up in the mountains. So then I waited patiently, no longer biting my nails in anticipation (I didn’t actually bite my nails. That was a metaphor or a figure of speech. Oh! I don’t know.)
You don’t understand how happy I was to get a letter from you today because guess what! It’s only seven days until I see you next. That’s a week! A measly little week.
Sadly, I think I might actually miss this place. The same way you will miss your little lodge and Mia.
There is a girl here at the bakery that is like my Mia. Her name is Charlotte. We’ll have to have to pair come to London for tea! As a sort of thank you present!
A week seems like a long time, but then I think about the three weeks that have already passed without you and I know we can do this! We can get through this!
I love you like the moon and the stars and the sun! You’re like the sun and I’m the moon. Without you, I would be nothing.
Okay. That was super cheesy but I can’t help myself! Being away from you has turned me into a puddle of goop.
Until next time,
Liam
He quickly tucked the letter in his pocket, knowing all too well that he would drop it in a mailbox the first chance he got.
-----
There were four days left and Niall was already packing. He was much too excited to be home and see Liam and the other boys. He couldn’t wait another minute after sending his letter to run upstairs and pack his stuff away.
A frown appeared on Mia’s face as he sent his last letter, her bottom lip jutting out.
“Don’t go.” She sighed, leaning against the counter of the front desk. “You’re the only cool person around here.”
This received a chuckle from Niall as he shook his head. “There’s Martha!” He protested, a smile on his face.
“Marta! The cook!” Mia gasped, narrowing her eyes at him. “She’s terrible!”
“Hmmm.” Niall hummed, “How about Gary?”
“Gary! The ski salesman!” She groaned, “God Niall! They suck.”
Silence swam around them, leaving them each to their own thoughts. “I’m really going to miss you though.” She sighed, resting her head back on the desk.
“Me too, Mia.” He smiled wearily, “Me too. Maybe you can come visit in London!”
“If only.” She smiled.
“I’ll make it happen.”
“You better Horan.” She scoffed, throwing a piece of paper at him and missing terribly.
----
Liam leaned on the counter, the bakery deserted as the clock stroked five. The doors were locked and Charlotte stood behind the counter cleaning off a few plates. She had forced Liam to read the final letter out loud to her.
“Li!
I’m glad you didn’t think I forgot about you. How could I ever do that? Forget Liam Payne? Impossible.
The snowstorm here was terrible. We could hardly even walk outside. But it’s not like I went outside anyways. Hahaha. And I’m glad you have Charlotte to keep you company. No funny business!!
Her and Mia will have to come to London, we can take them to The Ivy. Louis can tag along because I think he’d be mad if we didn’t invite him to dinner at his favorite restaurant.
Only 4 more days now. 4!!!! That’s so short. You will blink your eyes and Paul will be there with a car to pick you up. And I’ll be waiting at home with wide-open arms. You better give me a huge hug when you come home. Okay?
I have to write this super quick to get it to the postman in time for it to go out today.
Love you love you love you, more than ever,
Niall.”
His breath got caught in his throat as he read the last line, a blush appearing on his cheeks.
“You guys are so cute, I’m going to barf.” Charlotte sighed, tossing the final plate into the sink and hanging her rag up. She studied the older boys face, the smile hard to hide.
“How many more days now?” She asked, walking around the counter and straightening out the tables.
“Two.” Liam sighed in return, his eyes on the paper in his hands.
“Jeez.” She huffed, “We finally got someone cool in town and now you’re leaving.”
“Sorry Char.” Liam replied, his brow furrowing.
“Don’t be.” She chuckled, throwing a rag at him. “You’re boy is going to be waiting for you. Go get him.”
----
Niall’s heart practically leapt out of his chest as he saw Paul’s car pull into the driveway. The day had finally come, the day when he could finally go home. He stood by Mia at the desk, his bag clutched in his hand as he waited.
Paul walked up to the door, a smile on his face when he saw the blonde haired boy waiting for him. Niall practically jumped into his arms, relieved to hear another Irish accent after all this time.
“You ready, bud?” Paul asked as he grabbed Niall’s suitcase.
“Yeah, I think so.” Niall breathed out. And with one last glance and wave at Mia, Niall walked out the door.
The ride home seemed long, a lot longer than the ride there. He wasn’t sure if it was his nerves or if he had fallen asleep on the way there. Their building came into view, making Niall’s heart leap out of his chest.
“I’m going to go pick up, Liam.” Paul grumbled, opening the door for him and handing him his bag. “The boys went out for the day. They want to see you but they also want you to be able to spend some time with Liam.”
“Thanks Paul.” Niall nodded, grabbing his suitcase.
“I’ll be back in a few hours!” Paul yelled from the car, starting it back up and heading off.
“I’ll be here.” Niall whispered, turning back around and heading to their flat.
He pushed the door open and was met with a very clean flat. It seemed foreign, like it wasn’t even theirs. Everything was in his place, the complete opposite of how they left it. He wandered into the empty flat, dropping his bag by the door.
An envelope on the kitchen counter caught his eye.
He opened it up, ripping the envelope in hopes of getting the letter out. He instantly recognized Liam’s handwriting that was scratched across the page.
Niall,
In only a few hours time we will be face to face. Finally!
I still have two days until I see you though L I didn’t want to send a letter to the lodge because I knew it wouldn’t get to you in time. So I’m sending this to the flat. Hopefully Paul or one of the boys will leave it out somewhere for you.
I can’t wait to hold you in my arms again. I’ve started to forget what it’s like. I don’t ever want to forget your touch, your feel. And I don’t ever want to be apart this long again. Never!
I love you and can’t wait to see you. –Liam
-----
Niall was curled up and asleep on the sofa when Liam arrived home. He noticed the bag carelessly thrown on the floor and the letter tightly pressed up against the blonde boys chest.
He slowly walked over, crouching down beside the couch. He could hardly believe that Niall was finally lying in front of him. He was finally just a reach away.
Liam lifted his hand up, running it through Niall’s tangled hair. A sigh escaped his lips as his fingers came in contact with the soft long locks.
Niall’s eyes fluttered open, his cloudy vision clearing and focusing on the person in front of him. His heart leapt as he saw Liam sitting there, his hair messed up from the car ride. A smile burst onto his face as he sat up on the couch. In one swift movement he grabbed Liam’s arm and pulled him onto his lap, a small giggle escaping his lips.
“Hi Niall.” Liam cooed, staring dreamily into his eyes.
“Hi Liam.” Niall returned, nuzzling his head into the crook of Liam’s neck.
“I don’t care what managements motives were. I don’t care what anyone thinks. No one ever can take you away from me. No one. Never.” Liam sighed, his forehead pressed against Niall’s.
“I love you.” Niall spoke, his mind searching for better words to describe his feelings.
“I love you too.” Liam replied. And finally, after a whole month, their lips
And I swear that in that moment we were on top of the world. All of us.
“No problem.” I smiled, looking around the all too familiar hospital. I had spent the past few years here, watching after patients. My job was to fill in for the nurses when they would take a day or two off of work.
The white walls didn’t close in on me. The sanitary hallways no longer felt lonely or morbid. The sound of the buzzer that let me into the building no longer made me jump every morning.
“Anything I should be aware of?” I asked as we stood outside the door.
“I’ll warn you now.” She chuckled. “He’s a story teller.”
A small chuckle escaped my lips. Ah, yes. A story teller. We had many different types of patients here. I personaly thought that story tellers were the most interesting. They weren’t afraid to tell you their life stories, never sparing any details.
“Thanks Cherie.” I smiled as she walked away, leaving me alone at the door.
“Hello Mr. Payne.” I tested as I entered the room, hoping he wasn’t a grumpy patient who didn’t welcome change.
“You must be my new nurse.” He spoke, his back to me as his rocking chair faced the window. “A fresh face to put a spin on things.”
“Yes. That is correct. I’m Aria.”
“Never mind that, dear.” He said as I approached him, looking over at me. “Sit down, hun. I’ve got a story to tell you.”
Set 5 years in the future; The boys all travel out to LA after Zayn makes an announcement.
Part (1)(2)
* * * * *
Liam awakes to his alarm blaring in his ear. He groans, leaning over to switch it off. He can hear noises from the living room; it sounds like the TV is on.
Liam rubs his face with his hands, waking himself up. He tosses his feet over the edge of his bed, bare toes hitting the cold of the hardwood floors.
He hears a little chuckle that he recognizes as Niall’s and he smiles, remembering that sound. He stands and opens the door. Niall’s back is to him. He’s sitting on the airbed watching some dumb cartoon on the TV. His legs are still covered by the blanket.
Liam steps, and the floor creaks. Niall turns around. He’s cradling a bowl of cereal in his hands. His mouth is full as he says “Hey. I hope you don’t mind.”
Liam shakes his head and smiles, “No, not at all.”
“I was surprised to see that you had spoons.” Niall says, raising his.
“Yeah, well I’ve grown up, I guess.”
“Three years have gone by. You couldn’t have changed that much.” Niall says, turning back to the TV, and scooping up another spoonful of cereal.
“Well, look at you!” He says, sitting gently at the foot of the bed, next to Niall. “You’ve grown, changed your hair, become a YouTube star. You’re practically a new person.” Liam is trying to hint ever so slightly at Niall’s seemingly changed demeanor, but Niall either doesn’t get it, or ignores it completely.
“I’m not a star. I only have 70,000 subs.”
“That’s a lot.”
“Well, I’m not a new person.” He takes a big bite, steeling his gaze on the TV.
“You seem like it. I feel like I barely know you.”
Niall turns to look at Liam, his bright blue eyes peering into Liam’s brown ones. “You know me more than anyone.” Then he tears his eyes away and looks back at the TV.
Liam is taken aback by Niall’s bluntness. He swallows. He’s unsure what to say now. He knows that at one point of his life, he would have undoubtedly said the same about Niall. But now he’s not so sure.
Niall knows he’s confusing Liam with his stoicism, but he honestly doesn’t care. He just wants to get this over with. He wants to go see Zayn and congratulate him on his DNA being passed on, and then retreat to his basement-cave back home. Maybe play some music, but just not be bothered. Not have to deal with all of this small talk and just… escape. But that’s an impossibility now, as his parents have kicked him out.
Not literally, of course. If he was desperate enough, he knows they would let him stay with them, but they’d basically told him that he has to figure something out while he’s in America. He’s a grown man and he can’t keep living off of them – especially the way he’d been acting.
He’d known it was coming, but with everything that had happened in the last 2 months – everything they didn’t know about, he reminds himself – He’d just kept denying the truth that he’d overstayed his welcome.
He isn’t about to tell Liam that his whole wardrobe is in his suitcase, in anticipation of reconnecting with one of his old bandmates, maybe staying with them for a while. He isn’t about to tell Liam that Niall’s parents are waiting for an address of where to send the rest of his belongings. And, he isn’t about to tell Liam that something had happened 2 months ago that had completely ruined him, more than Liam ever could have.
They sit in silence for a moment before Liam says anything. Niall doesn’t really mind the awkwardness.
“What do you want to do today? Because I’m not letting you spend your one day in New York watching cartoons.”
“I really don’t care.”
“Well, I figured we’d go to the zoo, maybe?” Niall still stares at the TV, giving no response. “Just walk around and get caught up.”
It sounds like Niall’s worst nightmare. Yet, there is a part of him that wants nothing more than to go to the zoo with Liam, which is why he finds himself swallowing his last mouthful of cereal and saying, “Okay.”
When they left it was nearly 11, which was later than Liam had hoped, but understandable since the both took showers (Liam didn’t really need one, but he figured you never know what might happen). Not to mention the fact that the obsessing over appearance that they’d developed when they were still in a band had never gone away for either of them.
There was a bit of an awkward moment when Niall forgot to bring a shirt into the bathroom with him for his shower, and had to come out of the bathroom shirtless. It wasn’t as if they’d never seen each other shirtless – they’d seen everyone in the band shirtless – but there was a layer of reservation in everything they did, and this pushed that boundary a bit. But, Niall had pulled on a shirt quickly, and they just brushed it off. Though, Liam could help but notice that Niall had stayed fit over the years.
It’s amazing how you could know someone so well for a portion of your life, and then you just don’t know what to do or how to act around them.
When they leave the flat, it’s moderately windy and a bit cold, just enough to nip at their noses, and make their ears red. But, growing up in the UK, it wasn’t something they were unaccustomed to.
They walk along the street, and Liam says Central park is five blocks away, and they can either walk or take some other sort of transportation. Niall says he’d rather just walk. So they do.
They’re quiet for a while, the light noise of their feet padding on the ground the only sound passing between them. Liam finally gets up the courage to ask, “Have you been seeing anyone?”
Niall had known it was coming; he’d noticed the way Liam was acting, and when it’s finally asked, Niall really wants to be invisible. Instead of answering, he just retorts “Good job being subtle.”
Liam blanches, surprised by Niall’s snobbishness. “I’m just trying to get caught up with an old friend. No ulterior motive.” Liam lies, worried that Niall will call his bluff.
“Whatever.” Niall says. Liam stops moving and puts his arm out to stop Niall from going on without him.
“I don’t know what’s going on with you. I’m trying to be nice. And, you’re just being a complete wanker! So, either tell me what the hell, or I’ll just leave you alone.” Liam is breathing heavily. They just stand there and study at each other, looking for each other’s tell.
“Not for a while.” Niall finally acquiesces.
“What?”
“No. I haven’t been seeing anyone. I haven’t for a while.”
“Oh,” Liam lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, “Sorry.” They slowly start meandering down the pavement again.
“No, it was… a mutual understanding. We were old friends from school, so it was okay. We’re still mates.” Liam doesn’t notice, but Niall’s very careful about the pronouns he uses.
“Well, that’s good I guess.” But Liam can’t help but feel pangs of jealousy.
“What about you?” Niall ask, innocently.
“Nothing, really. There was this one guy a while back…” who Liam had trained vocally; he’d looked a lot like Niall used to, and he acted a lot like him too, “but nothing happened. I’m okay though. I kind of like being single in the big apple.” Liam smiles and slides his hands into his pockets, glancing at Niall who’s staring ahead blankly. Liam tries to read Niall’s profile, but can’t. Niall’s not nearly as open as he used to be. Liam thinks it’s just because of their history, but he’s incredibly wrong.
“Sure.”
“Niall, you still haven’t told me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine.” But Liam could easily see through his lie.
“You’re a horrible liar.”
Niall stops walking. He balls his fists and closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. He isn’t mad. He’s just trying to prepare himself to say what he was about to say, because he doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to admit that it happened, let alone tell the man who broke his heart one of the most vulnerable things about himself. Yet, there, on the streets of New York, he prepares himself to show Liam how fucked up he really has become.
Niall opens his eyes, and spots a bench about 20 feet ahead of them. “Can we sit?”
“Yeah, of course.” Liam says, getting exceedingly worried the longer Niall remains quiet.
They make their way to the bench, and sit down. Liam’s gaze stays fixed on Niall. Niall looks out onto the street. There is a woman and a little girl walking on the other side of the road. The girl is skipping along, letting out bubbly laughter. Her mum gazes at her with love, and Niall can’t help but smile sadly.
“I’m sorry.” Niall says, and sniffs. “I’ve been shit. You’ve been really nice and I’ve been a dickhead.”
“It’s really nothing.”
“I don’t mean to be. I don’t…” He shakes his head. He tries to figure out a way to say this. But, his mind keeps flashing back to that night, making him want to curl into a catatonic ball.
Liam watches Niall’s every move, a feeling of deep anxiety creeping up on him.
“It was the night me and Molly broke up.” Niall glances at Liam, who’s surprised to hear a girl’s name. “Yes, I dated a girl.” He takes a breath. “We’d just broken up, and I was a bit down, so I went to a pub.” He pauses to rub his face with his hand. “I got completely pissed. And then, there was this guy. He seemed… nice. We talked a bit. He’d recognized me, from One Direction. I told him… everything.” Niall had slowed his speech, and is now nearly whispering. “I told him I had to leave. He said he’d call me a cab. We went outside…”
A ball of anxiety is growing in Liam’s stomach, and he prays that Niall isn’t going to say what he thinks he’s going to say.
A tear falls from Niall’s face to the ground, making a dark spot on the pavement. Niall wipes his face. “We went outside, and he kissed me. I pulled away, and he said something like ‘Doesn’t a fan deserve something for putting up with you?’ I tried to get away... I tried to yell… but he knocked me out.” Niall is now crying steadily, reliving that dreadful night that he’d hoped to forget.
Liam’s now sure of what Niall is going to say. And, he really, really doesn’t want to hear it, so he says, “You can stop.” He scoots closer to Niall on the bench, and extends his arm behind Niall’s back, trying to comfort him “I think I get it.”
Niall just shakes his head and continues, fighting through his tears. “When I woke up, I was at his house. He wouldn’t stop…” Niall let out a sob, and Liam squeezes him gently. “He called me all of these names… he said bad things about you, and he…” Niall rests his head in his hands, covering his face.
Liam makes sure to keep his voice steady as he says, “He raped you.”
Niall slides his hands off of his face and nods. He looks at their surroundings. There’s no one around, and it feels as if the world is completely still for them.
“Look at me.” Liam says gently, and Niall slowly turns his head to look at him. Liam can’t help but notice how Niall looks 10 years younger, so vulnerable and open; he looks a lot like how Liam remembers him.
“You’re safe.”
“I know that, but –”
“I’m going to do whatever I can to make you forget that ever happened. Help you… move on.”
“I’ve tried… It’s not that easy.”
“Did you ever go to the police?”
Niall shakes his head.
“Why the hell not?!”
“What would I say?! ‘Oh hi, I got drunk a few months ago and this guy shoved his dick up my ass.’ I’m sure they’d be running to help me.”
Liam swallows at Niall’s crude language. “You were raped. He shouldn’t be able to get away with that.”
“But I let it happen.” Niall says, solemnly.
Liam is furious, but he holds it in, biting back his anger. “You didn’t. It’s never the victim’s fault. That’s what you are in this situation. The victim. The police should be running to help you.”
“Let’s just drop it. You know about it now. We can move on.” Niall stands up, gesturing towards the zoo.
Liam closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. When he reopens them, he looks at Niall, who’s looking back at him expectantly, and worriedly. Silently begging him with his expression to follow him, to leave the subject and get on with the day. Liam is the one submitting this time; he knows how hard this has been for Niall and he doesn’t want to cause the younger boy any more pain. So, Liam stands up.
